July 23, 2020 The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Dear Minister Lametti: In 2014, the federal government passed the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (S.C. 2014, c. 25), criminalizing all facets of sex work, including selling sex in a public space, purchasing sex in all spaces, all material benefits from […]
Category Archives: Sex work
Submission to Edmonton City Council: reject the proposal to permanently close Edmonton’s Body Rub Centres
In March 2020, Body Rub Centres in Edmonton were closed pursuant to a State of Local Emergency Order, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 27, 2020, Edmonton City Councillor Jon Dziadyk stated he wants to explore options for accelerating the permanent closure of Body Rub Centres in the next annual update, given that the Centres are currently […]
Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants on the Rights to Freedom of Association of Migrants
We make this submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Mr. Felipe González Morales, to describe laws and policies that inhibit migrant sex workers and other marginalized communities from enjoying their right to freedom of association, as well as concrete steps that States, international organizations and the UN can take […]
Also posted in Advocacy, English, Our Work, Women’s Rights
Tagged sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Sex work, Women's rights
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NEWS RELEASE: CANADA’S TOP 5 ISSUES FOR WORLD AIDS DAY 2019
November 28, 2019 — Sunday, December 1 is World AIDS Day, and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network is calling on the Government of Canada to respond to HIV with a renewed emphasis on human rights and a much-needed infusion of resources. The latest data shows HIV infections are continuing to rise, with a 17.1% increase […]
Also posted in Drug policy, English, French, HIV Criminalization, News, Prisons, Uncategorized
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Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
In advance of the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting for Canada’s periodic review under the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (“CEDAW Convention”), to be held during the 76th Pre-Sessional Working Group (11 – 15 November, 2019), the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“HIV Legal Network”) […]
Also posted in Drug policy, English, Our Work, Pub Document Type, Publications, Reports, Women’s Rights
Tagged drug policy, sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Drug policy, Sex work, Women's rights
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Federal Election 2019
On October 21, 2019, Canadians will head to the polls for a federal election. This is our chance to decide what kind of government we want — and at the Legal Network we’re hoping for one that upholds and actively promotes health and human rights. On this page you’ll find resources related to the election […]
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The Political is Personal: Annual Report 2018-2019
Highlights of our work in Canada and around the world from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019.
Also posted in Access to Medicines, Annual Reports, Discrimination, Drug policy, English, French, HIV Criminalization, Home Feature, Immigration and travel, Income security, Indigenous Communities, LGBTQ Rights, Our Work, Prevention Technologies, Prisons, Privacy, Publications, Russia and Rights, Testing, The Caribbean, Women’s Rights
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Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health: LGBTQ2S+ HEALTH IN CANADA
The Legal Network has submitted this brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, addressing HIV criminalization, criminalization of sex work, and criminalization of drug possession for personal use.
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Tagged drug policy, hiv criminalization, sex work
Publication Topics: Drug policy, HIV Criminalization, Sex work
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STATEMENT: Law enforcement “protections” harm sex workers
Rather than helping, sex workers’ human rights are being systemically violated by those meant to protect them The following statement is issued by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”). Comments can be attributed to Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Director of Research and Advocacy, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. April 10, 2019 — In […]
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Tagged human rights, sex work, women's rights
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The Perils of “Protection”: Summary reports
Criminal law has perpetually trapped sex workers within dualities of criminality and victimization. Whereas the previous criminal offences concerning sex work framed sex workers in terms of nuisance and criminality, the passage of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in 2014 legally enshrined sex workers as victims, invalidating the labour of sex […]
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Tagged sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Indigenous Communities, Sex work, Women's rights
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